Messire Gawain departeth from the knight, and goeth his way amidst the
forest that overshadowed the land as far as the seashore, and looketh
forth from the top of a sand-hill, and seeth a knight armed on a tall
destrier, and he had a shield of gold with a green cross.
"Ha, God," saith Messire Gawain, "Grant that this knight may be able to
tell me tidings of him I seek!"
Thitherward goeth he a great gallop, and saluteth him worshipfully and
he him again.
"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "Can you tell me tidings of a knight that
beareth a shield banded of argent and azure with a red cross?"
"Yea, Sir," saith the knight, "That can I well. At the assembly of the
knights may you find him within forty days."
"Sir," saith Messire Gawain, "Where will the assembly be?"
"In the Red Launde, where will be many a good knight. There shall you
find him without fail."
Thereof hath Messire Gawain right great joy, and so departeth from the
knight and the knight from him, and goeth back toward the sea a great
gallop. But Messire Gawain saw not the ship whereinto he entered, for
that it was anchored underneath the cliff. The knight entered
thereinto and put out to sea as he had wont to do. Howbeit Messire
Gawain goeth his way toward the Red Launde where the assembly was to
be, and desireth much the day that it shall be. He rideth until he
cometh one eventide nigh to a castle that was of right fair seeming.
He met a damsel that was following after a dead knight that two other
knights bare upon a horse-bier, and she rode a great pace right amidst
the forest. And Messire Gawain cometh to meet her and saluteth her,
and she returned the salute as fairly as she might.
"Damsel," saith Messire Gawain, "Who lieth in this bier?"
"Sir, a knight that a certain man hath slain by great outrage."
"And whither shall you ride this day?"
"Sir, I would fain be in the Red Launde, and thither will I take this
knight, that was a right worshipful man for his age."
"And wherefore will you take him there?" saith Messire Gawain.
"For that he that shall do best at the assembly of knights shall avenge
this knight's death."